Education, Responsibility and Leadership Among Topics of N.C. A&T’s Power of Your Voice Speaker Series with Amanda Seales

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 28, 2020) – Actress and activist Amanda Seales served as the featured speaker for the second installment of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University fall Chancellor’s Speaker Series, “The Power of Your Voice,” Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020.

Seales was joined by moderator Kelly Mayfield, alumna and Pandora advertising executive. The two began the conversation by talking about education and its importance beyond expected financial gains. 

“People cannot take what you know. Make sure that you curate your time here [at N.C. A&T] with care because it will be the foundation for the rest of your life,” said Seales. 

Later in the conversation, Seales discussed understanding and accepting the responsibility students have to utilize their education in a meaningful way. She equated it to voting. “You have a responsibility to vote.”

In addition to understanding and using the power of your voice, Seales said it’s important to understand how someone else can negatively or positively use their voice in order to know how to combat their rhetoric.

“It’s important that you know how to speak the language of your oppressor so that you can rewrite the story that they are attempting to write about you,” she said.

As the conversation progressed, the limitations of being misunderstood and fear surfaced as deterrents for individuals to confidently use their voice. Most importantly, Seales said how important it is to first understand that others may not always agree with you when you speak inconvenient truths. 

“It’s frustrating when people hear it as anger and bitterness,” said Seales. 

As the riveting conversation drew to a close, Seales reminded attendees of the danger of using their voices irresponsibly. As a powerful voice for this generation, she said it’s imperative for a true changemaker to be just as accountable on social media as off of it.  

“If you’re going to inform my mind, can you also protect my heart?” said Seales, emphasizing that your voice should be thoughtful and truth-telling, but ultimately uplifting.

The last session of the three-part Chancellor’s Speaker Series for the semester will focus on the power of your vote. Details will be released soon. 

The virtual Chancellor’s Speaker Series is free and open to the public.